"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Everyone starts with the sweetest dreams
Living long life living beautiful scenes
Make a million dollars wearing gold and jewels
Drive a big black Benz or a Caribbean cruise
Or maybe you dream that you just can't lose
Or playing blues is the path that you choose
Or perhaps your dream of going back to nature's plan
And just live off the land and be a natural man
Or of a beautiful girl who's holding your hand
Loving the one you're with, with her beautiful tan
Like you're holding the riff that laying in your hand
Or you dream of playing band from electric lady land
Riffs just like Jimi Hendrix
[Chorus]
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
Dreams are like fish you gots to keep on reeling
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
Dreams are like fish you gots to keep on reeling
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
"stop daydreaming!"
That's what my teachers used to say
While they kick a bunch of crap that I forgot anyway
Educatin's important to make a man complete
But everything I learned in school
I learned again on the street
Now my time is booked cause I've got the look
And when I walk on my path
You know I can't be shook
Stay alert in this day you have to go for yours
The force conspires to help brothers
That help others open doors
Wars and battles, rage round us everyday
While the real troops keep our heads up while we play
This game of chance that they busy calling life
Can be quite a disappointing ride
You can't blame the youth and you can't blame god
Now who you gonna blame when the dogs in the yard
[Chorus]
Wisdom asks "are you ready for this?"
Experience says "the kid can't miss"
Professional advice got you thinking twice
Don't roll the dice if you can't pay the price
The omen says "walk towards the light
The first impulse is free and it's always right"
Doubt suggests "what you think you can achieve?"
You're just a Philly kid from south 2 street
Rapping blues and playing guitar
Now I'm chillin sky's the limit
I'm a rock and 'roll star
Making funky music hit records are exploding
The free wind is blowing
Higher than the liars melting in the fire
How high can you ride?
The greatest victory it was
When we believe in legends getting busy like the man
They call "school's in session" addressing all you people
Like I know who you are 'cause streets are universal and the world is wide
But no matter what you're running from you just can't hide
If you seek the truth, the truest kid you'll find
So trace your tracks a fact's a fact
Three aces one king and a one eyed jack
You ain't going no where until its time to leave
Your wind's just a little story that I'm starting to read
[Chorus]
Living long life living beautiful scenes
Make a million dollars wearing gold and jewels
Drive a big black Benz or a Caribbean cruise
Or maybe you dream that you just can't lose
Or playing blues is the path that you choose
Or perhaps your dream of going back to nature's plan
And just live off the land and be a natural man
Or of a beautiful girl who's holding your hand
Loving the one you're with, with her beautiful tan
Like you're holding the riff that laying in your hand
Or you dream of playing band from electric lady land
Riffs just like Jimi Hendrix
[Chorus]
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
Dreams are like fish you gots to keep on reeling
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
Dreams are like fish you gots to keep on reeling
Are you feeling the feeling that I'm feeling
"stop daydreaming!"
That's what my teachers used to say
While they kick a bunch of crap that I forgot anyway
Educatin's important to make a man complete
But everything I learned in school
I learned again on the street
Now my time is booked cause I've got the look
And when I walk on my path
You know I can't be shook
Stay alert in this day you have to go for yours
The force conspires to help brothers
That help others open doors
Wars and battles, rage round us everyday
While the real troops keep our heads up while we play
This game of chance that they busy calling life
Can be quite a disappointing ride
You can't blame the youth and you can't blame god
Now who you gonna blame when the dogs in the yard
[Chorus]
Wisdom asks "are you ready for this?"
Experience says "the kid can't miss"
Professional advice got you thinking twice
Don't roll the dice if you can't pay the price
The omen says "walk towards the light
The first impulse is free and it's always right"
Doubt suggests "what you think you can achieve?"
You're just a Philly kid from south 2 street
Rapping blues and playing guitar
Now I'm chillin sky's the limit
I'm a rock and 'roll star
Making funky music hit records are exploding
The free wind is blowing
Higher than the liars melting in the fire
How high can you ride?
The greatest victory it was
When we believe in legends getting busy like the man
They call "school's in session" addressing all you people
Like I know who you are 'cause streets are universal and the world is wide
But no matter what you're running from you just can't hide
If you seek the truth, the truest kid you'll find
So trace your tracks a fact's a fact
Three aces one king and a one eyed jack
You ain't going no where until its time to leave
Your wind's just a little story that I'm starting to read
[Chorus]
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
there's no way that you cant like this song, its such a kick back and have fun tune, its the best to drive to when you're just hanging with your friends. i love ittt